LAKELAND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS 

Fighting for Survivors Sexually Abused at Lakeland Behavioral Health in Missouri

Lakeland Behavioral Health, a psychiatric hospital and treatment center in Springfield, Missouri that specializes in providing care for children and adolescents, has faced serious accusations of abuse and neglect. Reports and lawsuits allege that staff members at Lakeland Behavioral Health have taken advantage of multiple vulnerable children seeking treatment in the facility.

If you or someone you love has been sexually abused at Lakeland Behavioral Health, reach out to Levy Konigsberg for a confidential consultation. You don’t have to face this alone—contact us today.

History of Sexual Abuse at Lakeland Behavioral Health in Missouri

Examples of alleged abuse at the facility, and of conditions likely to lead to abuse, include the following:

• In May 2025, two lawsuits were filed against Lakeland Behavioral Health and Acadia Healthcare Company which included 31 plaintiffs alleging they suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of employees while they were minor patients at Lakeland Behavioral Health. In one complaint, nearly 20 pages detail past investigations and allegations of sexual abuse, neglect and other issues within the Acadia Healthcare Corporation, which owns Lakelahd Behavioral Health, and at the Lakeland facility in Springfield. Some of the plaintiffs allege abuse by Lessie Butler and Mark McMannamy, who were recently criminally charged for sexually abusing Lakeland patients.

• In March 2024, Lessie Malek Butler, a former Lakeland Behavioral Health employee, was charged with sexually assaulting three teenage patients. Court documents reveal charges of statutory rape, sodomy, and child molestation. The victims, who were patients in 2022 and 2023, alleged Butler touched them inappropriately and attempted or had sexual intercourse with them multiple times. A witness allegedly described Butler’s behavior as “flirtatious” and reported unusual interactions, including spending excessive time in each victim’s room. Butler reportedly admitted to close relationships and private interactions with the victims, including contact after patient discharge.

• In January 2024, Mark McMannamy, a former employee of Lakeland Behavioral Health, was arrested and booked into Greene County jail for sexual abuse. He was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for allegedly asking for and receiving nude photos from a 15-year-old patient. McMannamy reportedly offered the girl a vape pen in exchange for the photos. Security footage reportedly showed him and the teen together before she took the photos in a facility bathroom.  According to the victim’s statement to police, McMannamy attempted to persuade her to engage in a sexual encounter with him in a closet, but she refused. McMannamy reportedly admitted knowing her age and that patients at the facility often had past sexual trauma and behavioral issues.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a guard, counselor, nurse, or other youth residential treatment or juvenile detention center staff member.
• The abuse occurred at any youth residential treatment or juvenile detention facility.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold youth residential treatment facilities,  juvenile detention centers, private healthcare companies, and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect young residents.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Missouri Sexual Abuse Attorneys

In Missouri, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have a limited amount of time to pursue civil lawsuits and damages. This statute of limitations varies depending on whether lawsuits are brought against abusers or institutions.

The statute of limitations for claims brought against abusers is:

• Within 10 years from the date a survivor turns 21; or
• Within three years from the date a survivor discovers injuries caused by their childhood sexual abuse (i.e. depression, addiction, incarceration, etc.).

Survivors have even less time to file claims against institutions that failed to protect them from abuse. Filing claims against responsible entities is nearly always preferable because institutional defendants have the financial means and insurance to fairly compensate victims.

In claims brought against entities, survivors must bring their suits:

• Before the age of 26; or
• Within three years from the date they discover the connection between their abuse and resulting damages.

However, as in other states, Missouri has seen growing momentum to change the statute of limitations in civil sexual abuse cases. That’s because research resoundingly agrees that survivors of sexual abuse often take decades to process their abuse and its impact on their lives. According to Child USA, a nonprofit think tank, the average age that victims report childhood sexual abuse is 52.

Recognizing the challenges survivors face in processing abuse, and how short statutes of limitations function as a barrier to justice more often than not, Missouri lawmakers have proposed a measure to give survivors greater opportunities to seek justice.

If passed, the pending law would:

• Extend the civil statute of limitations for child victims to age 55.
• Create a temporary two-year window for child sexual abuse survivors to file claims over abuse that occurred at any time in the past.

Levy Konigsberg is actively investigating allegations of sexual abuse at Missouri youth residential treatment facilities and juvenile detention centers.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and seeking justice for survivors of sexual abuse in juvenile detention centers and youth residential treatment facilities. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing legal representation and support to survivors, and we are actively investigating allegations of abuse. We are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors have access to justice and that future generations of young people are safe from harm within these institutions.